Chief: Official mourning period for slain officers to end

March 10, 2018

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) — The police chief in a central Ohio city where two officers were slain last month while responding to a 911 hang-up call says the department’s official mourning period ends this weekend.

Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer said in a statement this week that mourning period ends Saturday.

Morbitzer says he’s received numerous inquiries from residents and businesses asking when they should remove blue ribbons and replace blue light bulbs.

Officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were fatally shot after entering a Westerville home Feb. 10. Thirty-year-old Quentin Smith was shot by the officers and faces aggravated murder charges.

Morbitzer said that while the mourning period has ended, “it is our goal to live the ideals and values of Tony and Eric each and every day.”